One Who Hears

Perhaps you're one [of us] who talks to themselves. I've been told it's okay to talk to yourself as long as you don't answer yourself. Well, sometimes it's my own voice that tells me to stop ... talking to myself! As he prayed David said, "Heed the sound of my cry for help, my King and my God, for to You I pray." (Psalm 5:2 AMP). I love how bold and honest David prays! The importance of the prayer life of a Child of God cannot be understated. E. M. Bounds says, "God shapes the world by prayer" and to do so, it is critical God's Children pray. One thing David makes clear in his prayer is The One to Whom he is praying. We live in a time when prayers are sometimes casually spoken to nameless gods. If you doubt this, pay attention to public prayers; they may sound so thoughtful and inspiring but listen ... listen to see if the Name of Jesus is mentioned ... "it is through Him that we utter our Amen to God" (2 Corinthians 1:20). The spirit referred to may have nothing to do with The Holy Spirit of the Bible. We are warned, "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. (1 John 4:1 ESV). Note how clear David is in his prayer - "my King and my God ... to You I pray." Oh, how we need more faithful and diligent pray-ers ... we also need more who pray rightly and to The One Who hears and answers the prayers of the righteous. Prayer to any other god is about as effective as ... talking to oneself. Take care as you pray to the ... One Who hears.

Loyal Love

We often speak positively of the word "repetition." It's repetition by which we learn many things; it's also good when things we depend upon "repeatedly" perform as they should. It is painful, however, when we are repeatedly treated unkindly by someone. That hurt seems to be deep and lasting. David writes about The Lord's unfailing love and mercy: "Return, O LORD, rescue my soul; save me because of Your [unfailing] steadfast love and mercy." (Psalm 6:4 AMP). Honestly, it's hard for us to fully comprehend the word "unfailing" because that's not what we know: although some things last, few (if any) fit the description of absolutely unfailing - electricity, vehicles, air conditioners, well pumps, relationships, etc. Yet, God - Who does not waiver and cannot lie - says He loves and is merciful ... without fail. It is His character; the Hebrew word "mercy" is sometimes described as the "loyal love" of God. It is a love that knows of no other way to be, unable to be any other way. The repeated hurts that bring pain and stire up bad memories stand in stark contrast to the constant, continuous, steadfast, steady, loyal love and mercy God "repeatedly" shows to those who love and revere Him. I wish I could say you and I will never again know unkindness but [sadly] it is part of living in this fallen world. What I am sure of with confident expectation is we have a God of perfectly ... loyal love.

Keep Rowing

Just when you think you've experienced [almost] everything, you find out you have not! Yesterday, after a good meal, I order a Coke float - a favorite of mine, and it was promptly delivered to me ... in pieces - a mug with two scoops of vanilla ice cream, a cherry and a cold can of Coke ... some assembly required. Those who love Jesus and are serious about pleasing Him often fail to realize, there's work to be done. While we evermore rejoice our salvation - payment for our sin - the finished work of Christ on the cross, the daily walk demands some spiritual disciplines (routines, habits). We are to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18). Let me assure you we are growing each day one direction or another - towards Christ in grace and knowledge or drifting further away from Him. To avoid the spiritual drift, true followers of Jesus must be deliberately row towards Him with the holy habits of Bible study, prayer, worship, service, fellowship. To the Believers at Colossae, Paul wrote: "We have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God." (Colossians 1:9-10 ESV). In Christ we are securely founded by grace through faith; the daily walk, however, is one to be given priority and diligence. I "assembled" that float and it was tasty; likewise, let us be attentively faithful to the daily work as we walk ... keep rowing.

How Excellent!

Isn't it a joy to open the mailbox - you know, most people still have one - and find a note of hello from someone! Boy, I sure do! It's why I try to send a card or two every week - a typical Sunday-afternoon thing I do. Read what David writes in Psalm 8: "O LORD, our Lord, how majestic and glorious and excellent is Your Name in all the earth! ... When I see and consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have established, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of [earthborn] man that You care for him?" (Verses 1, 3-4 AMP). When I discover that card in my mailbox, open and read it, besides the joy it brings to me, I consider how that dear sender who was mindful of me - mindful enough to take time and give effort to send it!  It reminds me  of what a marvelous wonder The Creator of all things - of indescribable splendor above the heavens (V.1) - would have thought, care, concern, love, mercy for one such as I. God's greatest thought for and toward man came in the Person of His only Son - Jesus ... our Redeemer. I am challenged and will continue to love my mailbox - what it receives and sends; yet, will I ever rejoice as David did: "O LORD, our Lord, how majestic and glorious and excellent is Your Name in all the earth!" 

Enjoy Freedom

"Free as a bird," we say. It's not just their ability to soar through the skies, it's how they are cared for by their Creator: "Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them." (Matthew 6:26a NASB). God's creatures know the One Who cares for them, gives them the freedom to be what they are. Then Jesus asks this probing question of those who love and acknowledge The Father, "Are you not worth much more than they?" (Matthew 6:26b). Let me suggest those who have been freed from the grip of sin (spiritually re-born) too often fail to live in spiritual freedom. We allow worry and fear to rob us of true freedom! Because Christ is the ultimate and final payment for freedom, we are able to enjoy spiritual freedoms right now, and how do we do that? "Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." (6:33). When we're seeking and relying on Christ, we are free to ... enjoy freedom.